The Big Shocker

     

      When you are famous everything you do is under a microscope. The world is looking at the online newspaper refreshing waiting to see your face. Your face made up of pixels pops up on everyone’s smartphones across the country. Everyone drops their cellphones. Sending a soundwave of shattering screens reaching every corner of the world. Single handedly you just shocked the world. A group of young men in 1988 had created this same effect by releasing one of the most controversial songs ever to be performed. As well as the minister who decided to make a strange fashion choice that shocked his clergy. These two very different stories that both created friction in the worlds around them. The short story “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the song “Fuck tha Police” by N.W.A. share in rattling the world and in many cases causing disturbances.

​      Diving into the text of “The Minister’s Black Veil” the character Mr. Hooper reveals himself to his clergy wearing a black veil. Chatter erupts among the members of the church in a way that is not quite disgust but is headed towards it. The people in the story were confused and did not know what to think of the veil. Just as the world did not know what to think when N.W.A. decided to continue to perform a violent song as seen by many including the Assistant Director of the FBI at the time. Both the minister and N.W.A were aware of what they were doing but both made an impact on the world. Whether it was the character that made the difference or just the act of having the song released sends a strong message to the world that one should never give up on their passion no matter what the world has to say.